


Resistance

by syrasynn



Category: Final Fantasy XII, NormalBoots, ProJared - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Flirting, I don't know, this exists now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 14:02:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11510898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrasynn/pseuds/syrasynn
Summary: Jared nodded in agreement, his eyes wandering over to the back table once again. He found the Hume’s eyes already upon him, and felt heat down his spine. Something about the man was captivating.---Jared meets Balthier at the Sandsea tavern.Featuring: Flirting! Intrigue! Action! Adventure! Badass Heidi! Injured Jared! Charming Balthier! Tomaj!





	Resistance

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is a thing that exists now. No take backs. 
> 
> Jared is streaming FFXII and really likes Balthier. So, I wrote this. I have very little knowledge of the FFXII universe, so there may be mistakes. Shout out to the wiki for help on that!

Working at the Sandsea Tavern wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it did come with advantages. Jared drug a rag across the surface of another table, brushing a few stray crumbs to the floor. The tavern wasn’t crowded today, with just the regular customers occupying a few tables. The balcony, of course, wasn’t even occupied, despite remaining off limits for the average customer. Jared tramped down on his rising anger, thinking of the Imperial soldiers that strutted around Rabanastre as if they owned it. He longed to join the Resistance, to fight, and take back his city. It was a foolish desire, he knew. He was serving the Resistance in his own, perhaps less illustrious, way here. Heidi assured him that his work at the Sandsea was vital in intelligence gathering, and Jared grudgingly agreed. He’d rather be swinging a sword alongside his wife, but in honesty, he was better suited to where he was. 

Alas, there had not been any gossip from the Imperial soldiers worth passing on for weeks. Jared was anxious. The door to the tavern creaked open, and he glanced in the direction of the doorway, almost hoping for soldiers, if only to give him something worthwhile to do. The bright daylight silhouetted two figures, a Hume and a Viera. Jared tried not to stare - there weren't many Viera in Rabanastre. 

“Have a seat wherever you like.” Jared called out. “I’ll be with you in a moment.” 

Jared made his way back to the bar, pouring out two glasses of water. Turning back to the room, he spotted the newcomers claiming a table in the back corner. Either they were a couple looking for privacy or they were hiding something. Jared had grown rather suspicious since he started spying for the Resistance. As he crossed the room with the waters, Jared scanned his eyes over the new patrons. They seemed an odd pair, a Hume and a Viera, but not rare enough to be unheard of. The Viera was beautiful, as every Viera Jared had ever seen was. Her hand rested lightly on a large bow that was leaning against the table. The Hume was a man, wearing an intricate vest and adorned with rings and earrings. Jared couldn’t help but think he was nearly as beautiful as the Viera. 

“What can I fetch for you, my Lord and Lady?” Jared inquired, setting the glasses of water on the table. 

Jared smiled pleasantly, hoping to endear himself to the pair quickly. The Hume raised an eyebrow, reaching out for his glass. 

“You flatter us, sir. We are but humble travelers. No honorifics are necessary.” The Hume punctuates his honeyed words with a smirk, and Jared does his best to suppress the flutter in his stomach. 

He had always been weak for a beautiful face. He inclines his head slightly, acknowledging the stranger’s request. The Viera leans forward, and Jared keeps his eyes firmly on her face. How she could wear such a contraption on her chest was baffling to him. It looked painful. 

“I will have an ale,” the Viera said. “As will my associate.” Jared smiled again, and with a quick nod hurried back to the bar. 

Tomaj prepared the drinks, glancing sidelong at Jared. Tomaj was an admirable boss, despite his young age. For Jared, Tomaj’s age was a constant reminder of what the Empire had cost them all, as Tomaj would not own the Sandsea if his parents were still alive. In a way, it was reassuring to have a reminder of why he dedicated his life to the Resistance. Tomaj gave Jared a friendly smile as he poured out the ales into mugs. 

“They certainly stick out from our usual crowd, eh Jared?”

Jared nodded in agreement, his eyes wandering over to the back table once again. He found the Hume’s eyes already upon him, and felt heat down his spine. Something about the man was captivating. Tomaj loaded the mugs of ale onto a tray and gently slid it across the bar to Jared. 

“Maybe keep on on them for me, okay? They look like the troublemaking sort.” Jared couldn’t help but agree with Tomaj’s assessment, but he kept it to himself. 

“Sure thing, boss.” Jared said amicably, before grabbing the tray of drinks and heading back to the table. Though he couldn’t know it, it felt as though the man’s eyes had never left him the whole time. Once again Jared approached the table, the man’s eyes still locked on him. Jared wondered where his interest lie. Perhaps the man was just as wary of others as Jared. The mugs clunked dully against the wooden table's surface. As Jared was about to turn away, the man spoke again. 

“Tell me, sir, are you a native of this great city?” The man’s eyes were fixed on Jared’s, unwavering. 

“Yes, I am.” Jared replied truthfully. He saw no reason to lie, but it was an unusual question. 

“My companion and I are travelling. Would you mind terribly giving us a bit of advice about the city? Provided you don’t have other duties to attend to, of course.” The man gestured at the rest of the tavern, and Jared saw now that it was nearly empty. Well, Tomaj did ask him to keep an eye on the pair. He pulled out a chair and sat, the Hume man across from him at the small table. The Viera rolled her eyes, gracefully lifting herself from the table. 

“You are shameless, Balthier. I will leave you to your conquests.” With that, the Viera hoisted her bow and drink, and strolled to the bar. 

Jared didn’t watch her leave, instead examining the man - Balthier - across from him. Conquest? Unlikely. Though Jared could not deny the man’s beauty and charm, he was faithful to his wife. Still, Jared was not against using another man’s infatuation for his own gain. Besides, it would not be a hardship to be considered desirable to such a man as Balthier.

“Now then, since my lovely companion has already taken away the opportunity to introduce myself, perhaps you would do me the kindness of telling me your name?” Balthier had a way of talking that made every word seem as if it were spoken around a smirk.

“I am Jared.”

Balthier observed him over the rim of his mug, his relaxed posture at odds with the scrutinizing way he looked at Jared. 

“Fran and I are looking for work at the moment. She is an excellent hunter, and I have an airship. Know anyone who could use our skills?”

Jared could think of several ways the pair could be highly useful to the Resistance, but the Empire had spies as well. It would be unwise to offer admission to such strangers.

“There are many who would pay for the elimination of dangerous beasts outside the walls of Rabanastre. I imagine there is less demand for airship travel, however. The restrictions have made travel for most...difficult.” Jared chose his words carefully.

“And you, Jared? Would you enjoy travelling?”

“I have never been aboard an airship before. I dare say I would enjoy the experience.”

“Then perhaps we could take a ride. I assure you the view of Rabanastre from above is quite the sight.”

Jared’s cheeks flushed. He wasn’t used to such bold attention from such an attractive man. He was tempted to take Balthier up on his offer. He did very much long to see Rabanastre from the sky. It was a foolish thought, however. It seemed unlikely to Jared that Balthier was not involved in unsavory dealings. Average travellers did not have such easy access to an airship.

“It would be unwise for me, I’m afraid.” Jared said, carefully sidestepping the implication that the Empire had been keeping tabs on him for some time. If he was seen with a character such as Balthier, Jared feared it would not take long for rumors to spread. Balthier looked at him, his head slightly tilted, as if he were trying to decipher him.

“Has the Empire taken your wings as well then?”

“The Empire has taken everything.” Jared snapped, unthinking. 

The pair stared at each other in silence, Jared wishing he could take the words back. Balthier’s face softened, at he looked almost apologetic. 

Suddenly, the door to the tavern slammed open. A group of Imperial soldiers stormed in, and Jared’s heart sank. He was enjoying talking to Balthier, strained though it may have become, and he regretted he would now have to wait on the inconsiderate brutes. As Jared rose from his seat, however, he noticed Balthier turning away sharply, as if to obscure his face. The soldiers did not head up the stairs to their claimed section of the tavern, but instead spread out, blocking the exit. 

“We are looking for a man! He is a dangerous sky pirate, and was last seen travelling with a Viera.” One of the identical soldiers exclaims. 

Jared’s eyes quickly dart over to the bar, where he had last seen Fran, but she has since disappeared. Obviously, Balthier was more than a simple traveler, as Jared had expected. There are four of the soldiers, and Jared would not be surprised to learn if there were more, out scouring the rest of Rabanastre. The Empire was single minded when it came to capturing fugitives they deemed dangerous to the regime. 

As the soldiers spread out, Jared attempted to look as meek as possible. He’d talked himself out of worse situations before, but now he needed to make sure Balthier kept his mouth shut so Jared could cover for him. It never occurred to him to hand Balthier over. If the Empire wanted him, he could be useful to the Resistance. Plus, it would be a shame to see that pretty face be wasted locked up in a cell. A soldier stomped over to the table, the only one occupied now. Jared hadn’t even noticed the other customers leaving, so engaged in conversation with Balthier he was. 

“You there!” The soldier said, pointing at Balthier as if there were anyone else he could be referring to, “What’s your business here?”

Balthier raised his hands in a congenial manner. “I am but a traveler, friend. You’ll find no trouble from me.” 

The soldier took another step forward, Jared thought to get a better look at Balthier’s obscured face. Jared sidestepped, putting himself between the two before he could think better of the action. 

“My Lord, he is my brother, travelling from Bhujerba. Forgive him his insolent tongue.” Jared hopes his groveling tone will pacify the soldier - it is a tactic that has worked in the past. The soldier seems mollified, at least enough to grunt out a “Watch yourself” before turning back towards the door. Jared thinks they have done it, and nearly sighs out a breath of relief, but another soldier takes that moment to step through the entrance to the tavern. Jared immediately tenses again - this is no ordinary foot soldier, but a lieutenant. This could only mean trouble.

“Bring that man to me.” The lieutenant commands, gesturing at Balthier, and his men snap to obey. Jared acts on instinct, grabbing the closest chair and flinging it at the soldier striding steadily towards Balthier, still casually reclined in his seat. The chair splintered on impact with the soldiers thick armor, and the room erupted into chaos. The soldier wasn’t injured by the projectile attack, but Jared was only hoping to use that as a distraction. Quickly, he bent to reach for the dagger that was tucked into his boot. The soldiers were bursting into action, pulling swords and shouting orders. Jared raised his head in time to see a soldier running at him with his sword drawn. 

Quickly, Jared dodged the soldier’s sweeping sword, sidestepping him and looking for a weakness in the armor. He could he the sounds of a battle around him, and hoped that Balthier could hold his own. His focus was trained on the soldier in front of him, and he could not spare the time to worry about the others, not until this one was dealt with. The soldier pivoted, raising his sword for an overhead attack, and Jared swooped low, striking out with his dagger at the soldier’s ankles. The dagger glanced off of the armor, and Jared cursed. He rolled to the side, trying to evade the still oncoming attack, but his timing was off. He had been counting on the dagger wound to slow the soldier down. 

The sword came crashing down on Jared’s leg, too slow to make it out of the way, and blinding pain twisted through him. Jared couldn’t suppress the shout of pain that escaped him. Dimly, he heard his named being shouted from somewhere else in the tavern. He had to get up, he was an open target laying on the floor. Biting his lip through the pain, Jared rolled away, bumping into the leg of another table. The soldier followed, but he was laughing, and seemed to think Jared was no longer a threat to him. Jared vowed to make him regret that thought. Not looking at his injured leg, Jared sat and reached behind him, grabbing onto the edge of the table. He hoisted himself to his feet - well, foot - his dagger still clutched in his hand. 

He couldn’t hold out much longer, his leg was trembling and he could barely keep the agonizing pain from overtaking him. He had to make a rash decision. The soldier drew his sword back, moving as if to thrust the blade right into Jared’s stomach. Jared inhaled, and threw himself forward, though leaning to the right of the soldier's blade. He felt the wet hot burn of the sword slicing through his skin, but it only grazed his side, not piercing his middle. Jared threw his arm around the soldier’s neck, and with this other, plunged the dagger into the weak spot on his neck. The thin armor caved, and Jared drove the dagger as deep as it would go, burying the short blade to the hilt. 

Warm blood spurted from the wound, covering Jared’s hand rapidly. For a moment, the soldier still stood, gurgling, before his sword fell from his fingers. With Jared’s weight at his front, the soldier fell backwards, and Jared with him, landing none too softly against the dead man’s breastplate. Jared had barely a chance to catch his breath before hands were upon him, and he tensed for a killing blow, his mind filled with flashes of red hair and mischievous laughter. 

He is rolled over onto his back, and finds Balthier looking down at him. There is a bleeding gash across the man’s cheek, but he otherwise seems to be fine. 

“Haven’t died on me, have you Jared? I owe you a ride on my ship still.” 

Jared snorts, attempting a laugh. Balthier starts ripping open Jared’s shirt, pressing hard against his bleeding side. 

“Did we win, then?” He asks.

“More or less. Fran did most of the work, really. She’s gone off to get the ship. I’d say it’s time for a speedy getaway, wouldn’t you?” He starts tying the scraps of Jared’s torn shirt around his waist, a makeshift bandage for his wound. Jared smiles, supposing there really wasn’t any other way this could end. 

“I guess I’ll just tell the guards a mysterious sky pirate and his beautiful companion did this to me. It’ll keep your cover story intact.”

Balthier smirked, and started to unbutton his vest. Jared wasn’t entirely sure what for, but he had lost a fair amount of blood, so he supposed Balthier would know better.

“Or, you could come with us. I think maybe it’s time we officially joined this Resistance. Maybe you’ve heard of it?” Balthier said, shucking out of his vest. Jared had the distinct impression he was being teased. 

“Guess it’s obvious now that I’m a part of the Resistance, huh?” Jared replied. Balthier didn’t seem inclined to respond, but but instead draped his discarded vest over Jared’s bare torso. Balthier scooped Jared into his arms, carefully avoiding touching his damaged leg. Standing up, Jared’s head lulled against Balthier’s chest and he had a moment of panic as he fought down a wave of nausea. He really didn’t want to throw up on his rescuer. 

“You’ll have to meet my wife.” Jared said, distracting himself from his pain. “She’s kind of a big deal in the Resistance.”

Balthier adjusted Jared in his grip and looked down at him with an arched brow. 

“Wife? You didn’t mention you were married.”

“Don’t worry.” Jared replied, lifting his hand to lightly touch Balthier’s cheek. “We’re both very good at sharing.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a comedy. I obviously cannot write comedy, because this was far too long and far more serious then what I originally set out to write. Whoops. I hope the three people that read this enjoyed it!


End file.
